Bond hearings (March 1, 2014)The following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear April 7 in Circuit Court. • Michael Dawson, 34, failure to comply with sex offender registration — $20,000. According to testimony from a Russellville Police Department (RPD) investigator, police received numerous calls that Dawson, a convicted se...

Two arrested on suspicion of drug fraudTwo suspects are in custody after they allegedly attempted to call in fraudulent prescriptions at a local pharmacy. Kimberly Collins, 39, and Michael Fulford, 35, appeared in felony bond hearings Friday on suspicion of obtaining controlled substances by fraud. The pair was arrested on Wednesday, when officers responded to a call that a female suspect went in to the Walgreens pharmacy on West Main Street and attempted to pick up a prescription ...

Man arrested for suspicion of rapeCLARKSVILLE — A Russellville man was arrested by Clarksville police last week on suspicion of rape. Alejandro Mendoza, 38, was taken into custody on Feb. 21 and appeared before a Circuit Court judge on Monday for a probable cause hearing. The judge determined there was probable cause for Mendoza’s arrest and ordered him held in lieu of $250,000 bond. Clarksville Police Chief Greg Donaldson said his department investigated Mendoza after they re...

Former state treasurer pleads not guilty LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner pleaded not guilty Thursday to mail fraud charges alleging that she misspent campaign funds — counts that won't be part of her upcoming bribery and extortion trial. Shoffner, a Democrat, didn't speak during her arraignment in federal court on the new charges, 10 counts of mail fraud. The charges allege that she misspent $9,800 in campaign funds on clothing, cosmetics and other person...

2 arrested for wildlife violations SEARCY (AP) — The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has arrested a White County couple on allegations they used wild animals — including deer — to make tamales at their roadside stand. The agency says 49-year-old Fred Thomas Atkins III and his wife — 28-year-old Betty Louise Williams were arrested at the stand on Arkansas 16 between Searcy and Pangburn. The charges include allegations of illegally buying and selling wildlife. The two were take...

Judge awards $525M to evangelist's abuse victims A circuit judge in Arkansas has awarded more than half a billion dollars in damages to seven women who were physically, sexually and psychologically abused by Tony Alamo when they belonged to the evangelist's ministry. Miller County Circuit Judge Kirk Johnson entered a default judgment this week against Twenty First Century Holiness Tabernacle Church, an arm of Alamo Ministries, after the group, based in southwestern Arkansas, failed to respon...

Woman pleads guilty to faking nurse credentials LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A woman accused of posing as a nurse while working at a Searcy elementary school pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges that could land her in prison for more than 20 years, though the government asked the judge to limit her prison time. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Morgan and the defense asked U.S. District Judge Brian Miller to sentence Susan Elaine Boyce, 57, to the longest probation allowed but on the low end o...

Prosecutors attack Shoffner's motion to dismiss LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Federal prosecutors argue in court papers that a judge would be wrong to dismiss corruption charges against former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner. The government on Wednesday filed a response to an earlier motion by Shoffner that asks a judge to throw out 14 bribery and extortion counts, on which she is to be tried starting Monday. Shoffner is accused of accepting $36,000 to steer state business to a bond dealer. She arg...

Appeals court: Have hearing on juror in meth case LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal appeals panel has granted a request by a man convicted in a drug case to explore whether the presence of an alternate juror during deliberations made his trial unfair. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ordered a hearing to determine the level of participation the alternate juror had during deliberations that led to Manuel Maldonado Aguilar's conviction. Maldonado was arrested in Little Rock in 2011...

Bond hearings (Feb. 25, 2014)The following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear April 7 in Circuit Court. n Julie Dale, 35, theft, forgery and breaking or entering — $50,000. Dale allegedly attempted to sell stolen jewelry at a local store. The total value of the jewelry reported stolen was more than $1,000. In addition, Dale...

Man caught with meth worth $475,000A California man was ordered held in lieu of $200,000 bond after 10 pounds of alleged methamphetamine was found in his vehicle. According to a police report, David Moreno, 32, was pulled over by an Arkansas State Police trooper on Sunday for a traffic violation. Moreno was driving eastbound on Interstate 40 between Russellville and Clarksville at the time of the traffic stop. The officer noted in his report that Moreno appeared nervous and had...

Bond Hearing (Feb. 22, 2014)The following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear March 17 in Circuit Court. • Larry D. Collins, 39, two counts delivery of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) — $15,000. An agent with the Fifth Judicial District Drug Task Force testified agents purchased methamphetamine from Collins on two ...

Trumann man pleads guilty to Caraway school attack JONESBORO (AP) — A Trumann man has been sentenced to five years' probation after pleading guilty to attacking three students at an elementary school in Caraway in 2012. The Jonesboro Sun reported Michael Wayne Stayton, 49, was sentenced Friday after Stayton pleaded guilty to three counts of battery. Stayton was also ordered to undergo alcohol and drug rehabilitation and to have no contact with the victims. Stayton was arrested Sept. 18, 2012, ...

Police: 4 dead, 2 injured in Northern California shooting ALTURAS, Calif. (AP) — Four people were shot to death and two others wounded in a shooting and knife attack Thursday at an American Indian tribal headquarters in California, authorities said. Alturas Police Chief Ken Barnes said 44-year-old Sherie Lash was taken into custody after allegedly opening fire at the Cedarville Rancheria Tribal Office and Community Center in Alturas, about 55 miles south of the Oregon border and 35 miles west of the ...

Inmate asks for new death penalty hearingLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A man sentenced to death for a 1993 killing at a Little Rock laundry asked the Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday to order a new sentencing hearing on grounds the jury didn't consider evidence that he had a troubled childhood. Terrick Nooner, 42, was convicted of killing Scot Stobaugh, 22, of Russellville during a robbery. A second person also was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Josh Lee, Nooner's a...

Bond hearings (Feb. 19, 2014)The following individuals appeared in felony bond hearings Wednesday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear March 17 in Circuit Court. • Matthew Nordin, 27, commercial burglary and theft of property — $7,500. Officers responded Dec. 29 to a burglary call at a church. The suspects allegedly entered the church through an unlocked back door and stole se...

Judge excludes some evidence from Shoffner trial LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday granted a request by former Arkansas Treasurer Martha Shoffner to exclude some evidence in her corruption trial next month. Shoffner is to be tried starting March 3 on a 14-count bribery and extortion indictment. U.S. District Judge J. Leon Holmes ruled that prosecutors can't introduce evidence from 10 new mail fraud charges added this month, for which Shoffner is to be tried separately. Holmes w...

Scammers use police phone numbersAlleged con artists posing as law enforcement officials have targeted Arkansas River Valley residents in a new scam. Russellville Police Department Public Information Officer Drew Latch said alleged scammers are using computer software when they make phone calls that allows them to program any number to show on the recipient’s caller ID. In the recent cases, they program the caller ID to show the phone number of RPD or other local law enforcem...

Government describes evidence for Shoffner trial LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Federal prosecutors filed court papers Monday seeking permission to introduce evidence at the bribery and extortion trial of former Arkansas treasurer Martha Shoffner that would show the steps she took when allegedly accepting more than $36,000 from a bond broker. Shoffner is to be tried starting March 3 on 14 counts from her indictment. Earlier this month, another 10 mail fraud counts were added to the charging document, al...